Determination of Antimony in Food by Hydride Generation-Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Abstract

The determination of antimony in food by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry with an electrically heated quartz cell atomizer and using sodium borohydride solution as the reductant was investigated.The calibration curve was linear in the range from 0.01ppm to 0.1ppm of antimony. Good recoveries of 94-100% were obtained for antimony added to canned peach samples, and the limit of detection was 0.002ppm.This analytical method was used for the determination of antimony in various foods. Analytical results for hen clam, mussel, top-shell (viscera), grapefruit (peel) and persimmon leaf tea were 0.013ppm, 0.019ppm, 0.022ppm, 0.019ppm and 0.033ppm antimony, respectively. The concentrations of antimony in cereals and beverages were below the detection limit of 0.002ppm of this method.